The Silence of Our Tongues
by MamaMeu
Summary: Fantasy/Adventure/Romance based on Homestuck characters. Meulin is captured and taken from her tribe by the young Prince Gamzee who presents her as a gift to his brother Kurloz in hopes of pleasing him while a war wages outside their kingdom's door. Rated M for mature content, violence/language. I do not own Homestuck or its characters.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes:

Hello everyone! I'm back with some new work. This story is based off Homestuck because originally I did want to write a Kurloz x Meulin fanfiction but it has sort of taken off in its own direction. For fun I decided to go ahead and post the story, using the original character's names to show who was based off who. The story is a fantasy, action with a dash of romance, and is third person omnipotent. It is in a world not of our own but not Alternia either. Please feel free to leave comments and reviews or any questions you might have regarding a chapter.

Meulin

Meulin's dark eyes flickered over the stagbeast as it neared her slowly. Its long silver neck bowed to let its head touch the ground so that it may graze from the dew grass at its hoofs. A bit closer. She thought silently from above, perched over the magnificent creature in wait for its end. Meulin licked her lips at the thought of sinking her teeth into the tender flesh which would be smoked over a smoldering fire… Letting her pangs of hunger pull her focus away, Meulin almost missed her chance and would have not got another had the creature not stopped to raise its head and slowly look around the forest as if it had heard something with its keen ears that she could not.

Launching herself off the large tree, Meulin clenched the handles of each knife within her fists tightly as she fell down and towards the creature, ready to plunge deep into its neck and end its life with the sharp twist of her crude blade opening a path for its life force to escape. What had not occurred to her until she had begun her free fall towards her own defeat was why had the creature stopped to raise its head.

There was the insignificant sound of a bow's taunt string being released from a long hold, forcing an arrow to cut through the air at unimaginable speeds. An agonizing horror shot through Meulin core as she saw it coming. It was as if in slow motion, the arrow head first coming towards her and then through her. It's head pierced through her skin first and then on and through her shoulder until bursting from the other side of her shoulder blade in a blinding white pain.

The second notion to occur as her body finished the last of its miscalculated fall through the air was that the stagbeast spooked and bucked its head, ramming into her unprepared abdomen with the blunt side of its crowned head, forcing her to the earthen floor. Meulin's body rolled across the rocky terrain until stopping as her back hit the base of a large and mighty tree. Her eyes glazed over with blood and darkening vision, the last thing before her to be the sight of a man's dark and obscure figure running towards her.


	2. Chapter 2

Gamzee

Gamzee the Furious, second son of King Ishtar the Invincible, was known for his brutality in combat and his constant devotion to the gods. It was a high belief of his that any blood line seen as impure by the gods was shown to him and then to be eradicated by his own hands. He was rumored to be the son of Kahn, the god of Death, while others whispered that he was Kahn himself, sent by mother earth to punish the impure. There were also those who fought against King Ishtar, and rumored that his son was not of the gods but a demon in the flesh, determined to drown the world in its own blood.

Gamzee looked up from the fire as the first officer coughed softly as if to draw his attention without having to fully address him. Gamzee was a lengthy man who at first glance next to his brother would have been assumed to be frail in his skinniness. The truth was that Gamzee the Furious was quite strong in a rather surprisingly many ways. Much like his older brother he was as quick as a whip, but unlike his older sibling he tended to let his rage suppress his wit. It was a well-known fact that he was the face of King Ishtar the Invincible's grand blood line. While Gamzee was well-known amongst the common people, regularly attending assemblies, claiming new lands in the name of his father, and highly feared amongst the King's army, his brother Kurloz was rumored to be the wiser of the two and the King's favorite.

Pulling his rich furs tighter about his lethal body, Gamzee gave his attention to the officer, dark eyes meeting frantic pale blue ones. The prince almost scoffed at that. He spit in the face of fear's face while his own men trembled in it at the simple mention of his name.

"What is it?" He questioned before turning his face to the fire, allowing the lights of the flame to play tricks, making his already sharp features more drastic, and his mouth seem to peel back into an awful grin to match his empty eyes.

"It's Horrus sir… he… he shot a woman on his hunting trip…" The officer replied weakly as he began to kick the wet ground with his foot. "He's brought her back to the camp…"

After an awfully long silence, Gamzee ran fingers through his untamable dark curls and rose to his feet already walking in the direction of the medical tent. His officer ran after him, asking questions that the young prince couldn't be bothered to hear no less deal with. Waving the other off with his hand, Gamzee pushed open the medic's tent and walked in to look at exactly what the hunter had dragged in.  
A cot laid across the ground, and upon the cot, staining the material a dark red, laid a young girl not much older than himself. Her olive skin was dotted in feverish sweat, her thick and full hair clinging to her flesh. Pain distorted her face making her look like a cornered beast rather than a beautiful young woman, and the pain that painted itself across her face only made it worse. Her clothes were unconventional and obviously tribal from the looks of the small totem ornaments and tanned animal skins. Besides all this though, there was no denying the fact that her body, despite its current condition, was sinfully and exotically beautiful.

It took less than a fraction of a second for Gamzee to make his decision. "Clean her wounds, heal her, and as soon as she is conscious enough to understand you, inform me immediately." He stated plainly to the medic who was quickly preparing his tools to help the surprise patient.

"Yes my lord." He mumbled, pushing back his sleeves and washing his hands in a basin as Gamzee turned to take his leave, exiting as quickly as he had entered.


	3. Chapter 3

Meulin

A deep and moving music pounding with a glorious rhythm in its accompany of dancing feet still filled her ears. The taste of freshly cured meat, juicy and scalding on one's tongue still lingered over each of her individual buds. The smell of incense being burned and raised to the spirits in thanks for a plentiful year burned her nose and tickled her senses. Corn being shucked and glazed in a thick and tantalizing honey butter mixture before being charred over the fire pit leaving a smoky taste and the sound of it still sizzling from the unkempt heat played across her mentality. Rowdy children and elderly chattering and laughing away made her heart swell with an affectionate warmth.

Three days prior to Meulin's hunting trip, her tribe had been throwing a wedding celebration for her younger sister Nepeta. Nepeta was just barely sixteen and when she had been married off to a man of their own tribe, Rashnar, a fierce warrior and great hunter. Unlike Meulin, love came easy to Nepeta, and although the two lovers had known very little about one another at first, they had quickly fallen for each other in a short period of time.

Their people where devout believers in love. To them, love was not only an emotion, but a movement within itself that filled one's entire being, sometimes to levels beyond the human eye. Unlike the northern people they did not believe in gods so much as spirits, those who in life where devout believers of love and in death guides for them in life and the one after. Love was the very thread that held men and women together, that created life and could yet again take it away.

Rashnar and Nepeta's marriage had been set up by the girls' own mother, the Matchmaker of their tribe and therefore a highly respectable woman. As the Matchmaker of the tribe she was the most spiritually attuned of their people and responsible for helping the people find their other half. She had placed the two strangers together, both in search of companionship at the time, and they had fallen into love's embrace immediately. Unlike most of the other men and women in her own tribe, Meulin had never had such luck. Growing up, she had originally been obsessed with the idea and was determined to find her true love. It wasn't until she had turned seventeen that she had asked her mother for advice who had only laughed at first...

"_Are you saying I will never find love?"_

"_That is not what I mean. I am simply surprised at the fact that you think you will find love here. If only you knew what was in store for you child…"Her mother had looked at her with an all knowing look before scorning her for not paying more attention to the weave work she was doing…_

As the memory washed away and the pain reoccurred, Meulin's eyes fluttered open as she gazed around the dark room. The smell of iron, cold and metallic, mixed with the scent of blood, rusty and slightly vomit inducing, filled her senses and overwhelmed her. There was a small light that pulled at her slow senses, urging her to look over to where a young man sat at a small candle lit stand, his head resting on the wooden structure in exhaustion. A long mane of hair traveled down his backside which was slightly mused from lack of attention in the course of a few days. The hair though brought another sent all together to mix with the bundle of others in the room. The oils clearly used to keep his long black hair clean and silken was musky and something she had only smelt a few times as a child, but could never forget.

The oils used were a mixed concoction of tap roots often reserved for only the weakest of stews and commonly used by a lost group of travelers, men who rode bare back upon armored mares, known and as the Riders of the West. Even though they were less developed in many agricultural standards, they were far better warriors due to their natural brutish size and development of a better bow that was far better for long shooting and made their ability to ride bare back and still be armed incredible. They were known to be close to nature but above all they were known for their deep and unnerving connection with the armored mare, an untamable creature to all others.

An armored mare, was a horse, only far more massive in size and strength. They were bone armored creatures with flaring nostrils and bloody eyes that to any outsider would look like demon mounts. For hundreds of years they were wild things until the riders of west had discovered a way to earn their trust and companion ship. The result was that these men were able to ride the animal while shooting their arrows, thinning out the numbers of enemies before trampling them over. Meulin had only met the group of the wanderers a few times as a child before King Ishtar's son brutally murdered off and ended the group with his men as a sign to the world of his coming to power at the age of fifteen. Since then she could only remember the faint smell of those oils and the sleek shine of waterfall hair.

As Meulin made a weak attempt to turn onto her side and pushed herself off the cot, whatever had distracted her from the pain in her shoulder and abdomen vanished under a searing flame. Crying out and waking the young man at the table with a stir, Meulin collapsed back down and breathed in quickly, feverish sweat breaking across her olive skin once more.

"Don't move!" He cried out as he rushed to her side speaking in a deep and slurred tongue as if not remembering his own language. A frantic look filled his eyes as he measured her wounds over, checking her for more bleeding and thankfully found none. "I promise to explain, be still."

She could not help the fact that as she looked up at him with wide eyes, fear filling her entire being. "Where am I?"

Swallowing slowly, the rider made and effort not to look her in the eyes as he adjusted her body and helped to make her more comfortable, "I shot you. I was aiming for the stag. You fell in the way. Prince Gamzee was kind enough to let you heal."

Full lips parted to reply to thin ones in spite and anger only to be interrupted by the opening of the tent door to reveal a young man who was tall, slender, and undeniably Gamzee standing before them. His unruly hair had become worse and Meulin was rather sure she could see blood stains on his clothes but could not tell for sure in the dim lighting. The other one stood up on his feet before bowing to the prince, only to be replied with a wave of his hand and a foreign tongue.

With a quick nod of his head, the hunter left, leaving Meulin to claw at the empty air behind him in fear of his absence. Her heart skipped, and although she could feel her breathing hitch, she did her best to stay calm as the devil pulled up the chair from across the room to sit beside her. He was quiet as he placed his elbows on his knees and rested his chin on his fist, looking her over with cold, calculating eyes. Meulin wanted to scream. She wanted to crawl away as quickly as she could even if it meant shedding her own skin. The huntress couldn't place her finger on it, but with one look into his eyes the huntress could tell the rumors were true and that perhaps there really was something absolutely inhuman about him.

After a long and dreadful silence, the rider returned and kneeled beside Meulin, helping her to sit up and drink some long needed water. "Horrus," Gamzee began to address the rider before continuing his speech in words Meulin could not completely comprehend. "If she does not understand what I say, then you will translate."

Horrus paused, hesitating for a moment before obediently nodding his head. His lips parted to translate the sentence only to be interrupted by Meulin, who's harsher and far more native tongue, made the words she spoke thick and hard to understand but clear enough to comprehend, "I am no fool. I understand your demon words." Muirine practically spat at Gamzee's face in anger.

Gamzee blinked, only slightly phased by the girl's words. Horrus' face turned pale as if he were a dead man whose corpse had just been drained of every last drop of blood. His blue eyes flickered between the two in fear of what his master would do. Surprisingly, Gamzee made no move of rage and seemed to keep his emotions in an eerie check before he sighed softly and began to speak, "That's a rather rude thing to say to the one who has allowed you to live." Inhaling deeply, Meulin watched with a gnawing horror and haunting hatred for the young prince, biting her tongue to let him continue, "All I ask is that you allow yourself a few more days to heal, and I will let you go. It's been two weeks now and I'm sure your people are worried but you are in no condition to travel."

An unspoken surprise filled the humid air around them as even Horrus stared at his master in shock. Meulin's lower lip parted from her upper one as she stared at Gamzee in disbelief, but he simply looked at her with an unreadable expression. What choice did she have?


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Okay so, I'm not sure if anyone is actually reading this, but if there are people reading it, I would like to explain that Horrus is kinda a mix between Equius and Horrus but since this story is mostly targeting dancestors I figured using Horrus' name was the best strategy. I hope you all are at least sort of interested? 'Kay.

Meulin

It took two full moons before Meulin's body was properly ready for travel. Her mind wandered with the thoughts of finally being able to see her sister's sweet face again. In the passing time she had spent most of the hours within her tent or pretending to be asleep. It bothered her in a way she couldn't quite explain, to see Horrus in the company of men like Gamzee with such ease. When he wasn't with the prince though, she spent her time listening to him.

She had learned much about Horrus in the time those small hours. Horrus' people had been killed off by Gamzee and his men, but as a custom of Gamzee's people, he had captured a very selective few and returned with them as slaves for his father who had worked the riders to death leaving Horrus to be the last one of his kind. Horrus told Meulin that he actually didn't mind it much. He had been too young to receive his own mount and so this was really the only life he knew. He was extremely loyal to Gamzee because the prince had chosen to spare his life despite the fact Horrus was actually older than Gamzee, plenty old enough to rebel.

Gamzee had given her plenty of nourishment and time to rest, but rarely did he come to see her. When he was informed that she was healthy enough to journey, he promptly had his men prepare plenty of food and water for her to take along so that she wouldn't need to hunt.

"You'll want to start early if you wish to get to your home in good time." He stated to her plainly as he handed her a pack full of supplies in the early morning light. "I'm sure they have sent a couple parties in search by now."

Meulin's eyes flickered over to Horrus who had just gotten back from the nearby creek. His long blond hair clung to his bare chest as he wandered over to his lord's side in stony silence, but his bright blue eyes seemed to hold some unspoken nervousness. Her dark eyes then landed on Gamzee, who looked like a starved beast, awaiting his kill. She wasn't sure which one made her more worried. The prince had a point though. Even though she was only about a day's journey away, most of the tribe probably thought she had journeyed south like usual, only she had decided to go north and look to the hunting grounds there without bothering to inform anyone. Most likely they hadn't even thought to check the northern territories.

Lifting the pack onto her shoulders with a small grimace of soreness, Meulin hesitated before bowing her head gratefully and heading in the direction of her home. By the time Meulin would reach the rise of the land to where she could see the burning fires of her peoples land, her body ached and her freshly healed wound was sore from a long day's abuse. Her feet managed to mindlessly carry her the rest of the way down the well-worn and memorized path, despite it being shadowed by the night, and to her people's warm embrace.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes: So if anyone is interested, I started a writing blog for my original pieces on wordpress, mamameu dot wordpress dot com... Herp... fanfiction why you no do the link?

Lala: Oh my goodness thank you! *blushy blush* I was beginning to get worried because I know this is pretty loosely based and so yeah, I wasn't sure anyone would like it!

Horrus

The rider couldn't help but nervously switch his weight from one foot to another as he glanced over at his Lord, whose eyes were focused on the native girl as she walked away from them both. He waited in complete silence until there was not even a glimpse of a figure in the distance to gaze after. Horrus could figure out this pattern all too easily. Gamzee would wait until she was at least an hour or so away before ordering his men to move out and track her down. He would lead the party after her, following her every step, until her very own salvation brought her and her people to their own demise. He knew because he had played his part just as planned.

A part of him whispered that he should have said something, he should have told her before it was too late. The other half though quickly silenced the other. This was a war after all and he had chosen his side, he would fight with Gamzee to the end. Horrus turned away from his master who continued to stand there watching the forest lining with dark eyes. Walking over to were some of the other men where gathered around the fire, a man poured him a pint of ale before handing it over to him with a knowing look in his eyes.

The laughter and drinks were quickly ended though after the sharp voice of their commander called out, "Men! We move out in ten minutes so gather your things!"

Horrus stayed still as he eyed the snapping fire and sipped from his mug, listening to the sound of Gamzee's measured footsteps as he came towards the rider. The prince paused for a moment and was silent as if he was reconsidering what he was about to say. "You will fight with me won't you Horrus?"

"Of course my lord…" Horrus muttered softly before casting the rest of his drink into the fire causing it to hiss and crackle against the burning logs. Rising to his feet to follow after the young prince, Horrus kept his head down as the camp came crashing down around him to be packed away as the men prepared themselves for battle against the natives.

"Are you sure this is what the gods wish my lord?" Horrus questioned as the neared Gamzee's awaiting steed.

Gamzee paused, glancing over his horse's flanks before looking to his servant, "Do you question me Horrus?" after speaking, Gamzee pulled himself up onto the black mount and looked down at Horrus, awaiting an answer.

"I only wish to be reassured that we are not committing pointless murder my lord." Horrus stated as he finished checking over Gamzee's magnificent creature.

"I believe you are asking questions that are far above your ranking. Wouldn't you agree?" the Furious replied without even bothering to look at Horrus this time, clearly informing him that the conversation was over.

"Yes my lord…" Horrus muttered before stepping back to allow Gamzee and his mount, a clear path to the south end of the camp.

The passing time went by in a slow and sluggish like movement for Horrus, as if though he were swimming through molasses. Despite all this though, they were not far behind Meulin in no time at all, and the only thing keeping them from running right over her was Gamzee's carefully planned timing. They ventured throughout the forest at a well accounted for pace and although it was not long before they stood close enough to the village to see the forms of crowds moving around painted tents and crackling fires Horrus still continued to watch the unfolding horror in slow motion.

Night was just beginning to fall around them and Horrus could practically feel the anticipation of the hunt coursing through Gamzee and vibrating off of every possible surface. Below, Meulin's people laughed and danced as they moved their bodies to the coursing rhythm. A small longing, a pulling and tugging for something he could only faintly remember leaned on the corners of his mind before being shoved down and out of the way forcing his frown to return and his eyes to cast away from the warm sight.

When the village had begun to settle, and the people quiet as they laid down their heads to rest, Gamzee motioned his hand forward to silently inform the group to move out. The men move like shadows in the night, dark and inky creatures venturing through the thick foliage and making their way towards the innocent who dare to sleep on such a night. The blood moon Ophius danced with its counter partner, Raynon the female deity, called to Gamzee's inner demons and urged him to release the beast that dwelled within his very being. Horrus could see that the prince was practically itching from the need to bathe in the blood of his enemies and it caused a disturbance within him like never before. Horrus watched as Gamzee raised his hand for the group to stop before lowering himself off his mount and onto the soft forest ground. The other men followed except for Horrus, who wasn't allowed a mount due to his lowly status, before they began the rest of their silent journey towards the helpless village on foot.

The rest of the night was covered by the raining of blood and the screams of the people.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes: Okay so here's the new chapter. Let it be known that it was a bit hard to write but I think I got the scene down pretty clearly? I promise that Kurloz is going to be in this and soon, but I've been trying to buildup to all that so please be patient. Thank you for your time and support! Please review and comment!

Meulin

A scream that pierced the dawn like a knife cutting into the skies side made Meulin's eyes flash open to the symphony of horror that was about to occur. The stench of smoke filled her lungs like poison and interrupted her blissful dreams as her sister Nepeta quickly shook her and forced her up onto her feet before pulling her out of Meulin's burning tent and towards the chaos that awaited them. Meulin stopped her though and pushed her way back through the flames as Nepeta screamed after deaf ears. The young huntress quickly made her way to where she kept two blades and grabbed their hilts to spare them from the hungry flames that surrounded them.

Running back in the direction her sister, Meulin tumbled out of the collapsing shelter and rolled across the earthen floor to smother any flames that might cling to her torso. Nepeta stood behind Rashnar's protective arms as he clung onto the hilt of his axe and called over his shoulder to Meulin before running over to assist a man of their tribe who was fighting off one of their attackers, "Get Nepeta out of here!"

Meulin nodded her head before grabbing her sister's wrists and ushering her towards the forest. "Hurry!" Her fingers dug into her younger sister's flesh as she pulled her along before being stopped by a dog of a man. He stood at the least of six feet with a broad set of shoulders and almost unrecognizably scared face. He grinned devilishly as Meulin came to a halt and pulled Nepeta close. Meulin quickly went over her options before pushing Nepeta in another direction only to be stopped once again.

The dog of a man stepped closer and in a gravel voice spoke, "Now come on love don't be like that."

The huntress inhaled sharply as she placed one protective arm out before Nepeta and held a blade in each deft hand, ready to strike. Hissing at her opponent, Meulin quickly made her lunge, before rolling to his right rather than coming right for him. His blade swung high and though it came close it made no mark upon her. Meulin came up in a crouched position, cutting at the back of his legs and placing damage to major arteries before diving back to his left.

The mutt howled before falling down on his knees, spitting at his partner, "Well don't just stand there you idiot!"

"Run Nepeta!" Meulin screamed before fleeing after her younger sister, who took off in the only direction they could, towards the scene of chaos.

They made their way along the outside of the village, aiming to find some sort of break in the forest, finally coming upon one, only to have Nepeta stop short, her eyes filled with horror as she looked down and towards the center of the village. Meulin silently told herself not to look, she scolded herself for stopping as members of the tribe ran past them, scattering in every direction. She did stop though, and she did look in the direction that Nepeta's eyes faced. Meulin watched as men and women, elderly and young, fell to the ground or upon a sword, but her eyes cast to one in particular who stood out amongst the rest.

He was a demon like none other who stood upon the ground as though he were king. His weapon of choice was not a sword like so many others, but a metal club edged in deadly and gothic impalements that he used to viciously beat his victim to death with. A grin was on his face as his current challenger struggled to fight him off with his axes.

"Rashnar!" Nepeta screamed before running towards him.

"Nepeta no!" Meulin cried, quickly grabbing onto her sister as Gamzee and Rashnar struggled against one another. Nepeta fought against Meulin's grip as her older sister quickly covered her eyes, forcing herself to watch the horror she had brought upon her people. Rashnar's hilt slipped and Gamzee was upon him within an instant. He brought his club down in a relentless and blood thirsty manner upon the warrior's head. Blood quickly pooled around him, Rashnar's skull broken apart and left to sink into the ground. When Gamzee was done, his eyes focused on Meulin for the first time, as if though he had known she stood there the whole time and thought his display to be some sort of twisted show.

She stood there, frozen with what can only be described as fear, while Nepeta brokenly sobbed into her chest. Meulin could feel the pressure of a large body behind her, keeping her from running if she finally did find the courage to move her feet. She deserved to die. She had brought this evil creature to the door of her kindred. Gamzee slowly pulled his club away from what little pulp was left of Rashnar's head and began making his way towards her, dripping blood upon the face of the earth with each step he took, dragging his club across the ground and causing scars to resonate in the earth's surface. His eyes were a striking contrast against the bloody mask that covered his face, his mouth was pulled up in a frightening grin, and even though his hands hung loosely at his sides, it was clear that Gamzee was in his element, ready to make a move at any instant.

Gamzee finally pulled his eyes away from Meulin's face and went down to her fingers that had loosened up around each of her blades and let them fall to the floor, the little appendages numb with terror. His eyes then moved to the Horrus, who stood behind Meulin and Nepeta to keep them from running. He gave a short nod and there was the sound of a swoosh in her ears before Meulin fell into darkness


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Notes: So, this chapter kind of a filler chapter which is why I uploaded two chapters for you guys. Enjoy.

Guest: *Cradles my own face after your hands have taken their absence.* Ohmygoodnessthankyoumysteriousstranger...

waomadolo: Oh thankyou... *Superblush.*

Meulin

Meulin's eyes fluttered open to an unrelenting pecking of a beak on her shoulder. When her eyes finally came around to the harsh brightness that surrounded and enveloped her vision, they landed on the midnight bird that stood on her shoulder, a creature she could never remember meeting, pecking away at her flesh. She shivered, her blue lips trembling slightly as she slowly took it all in and, brushed away at the scavenger. She could feel that they were moving and listened to the sound of wheels turning as she finally came into reality. Beside her, Nepeta and a few other young village women sat with their heads hanging and their bodies shivering.

Bars held them inside a box that was pulled along by a set of horses. It all came back to her at once. She had returned to her village who had welcomed her with open arms, and after a celebration for her safe return the night followed and they had all gone to sleep. Gamzee and his men had advanced on them, Horrus had knocked her and Nepeta unconscious, and after doing so they had been placed in the carriage and left the burning village behind.

Nepeta's eyes flickered up and over to Meulin as she did her best to rise. "Don't move too much. You've been unconscious for several days now."

Meulin swallowed that down shakily, calculating just how far away from their village, or what remained of their village they could be. The fact that there was snow on the ground and the air seemed to be thinner was not a good sign either. She could tell just from those few things that they were obviously north, and that most likely they were heading through the mountain pass that created a geographical boundary between the native lands that had been untouched by Gamzee's people and his father's domain until now.

Water. She needed water. Several days. They could be anywhere by now. Meulin blinked as she did her best to focus on bringing her body up into a sitting position. Her muscles ached with each movement until finally her back rested against the wooden bars that kept her in and the blinding light filled her vision. Her eyes flickered upwards towards the ever growing trees that reached towards the heavens and clothed themselves in snow. She wanted to climb those trees and reach out to touch such a place.

Her trailing thoughts were interrupted by the grip of someone's hand upon the bar just beside her head to grasp her attention. Turning to look back at Horrus who walked beside the carriage easily, holding a rag full of snow in the other hand, and the bar in the other with an unreadable expression upon his face. Handing her the rag which she took questioningly, before watching Horrus let go and run to catch up with his master's pace. Blinking at the bundle he had set in her lap, Meulin carefully lifted it with her numb fingers that had been still until now.

"You can suck on it… since its frozen water…" One of the younger girls muttered before casting her glance back down to the carriage floor.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Meulin took a deep breath before doing as the younger girl had instructed and lifting a glob of snow to her lips. The younger girl, Irisha if she recalled correctly, had probably not know of that until a few hours ago. The cold melted against her lips, slowly pouring into her mouth and washing itself down her tongue. Despite the coldness of it all, it felt good on her hot throat and brought the slow tears that she had been holding back crashing down. The huntress swallowed the mouthful of water before bowing her head to rest on her knees and allow the racking sobs to silently overwhelm her for the first and last time.

.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Notes: So, um, this chapter has some, well... "lemon scented material". Originally I did not plan on putting Porrim in here but it just sort of happened and...yeah. Okay well I am placing a note at the end of this so I can ask you all a question without giving away anything beforehand.

Gamzee

It took several more days for them to reach the edge of Kings Spire, and a few more of the new slaves had died either from either the cold or dehydration. Despite the spans of time it had taken for their return, Gamzee had never felt such a satisfying joy as the one he felt now. The land was developed like a spiral that climbed up and around the hilly lands that where protected by the mountains on one side and the ocean on the far other. The outer lands belonged to those who produced different agricultures that were sold amongst the people in the inner cities. Even though this area was not protected by grand walls like he desired, his father had made it clear understanding that those lands in all actuality where some of the most important earth he owned. Wooden towers that held men and their supplies where stationed everywhere, and there was constantly a patrol to monitor the area.

Small peasant children quickly trailed after Gamzee and his men's feet, some following them for only a short time, while others had run after the group until they had made it to the middle section of Kings Spire, protected by the first set of walls. The middle city was not as ongoing as the outer area which took a few days to journey through, but instead was a hustle and bustle of industry and marketing that wrapped its body around the inner city. What Ishtar referred to as "the middle class" dwelled in the middle city, not rich enough to be known as nobility but wealthy enough to live a well-endowed life.

The inner city belonged to nobility and the Invincible King who dwelled there. Of course there was one last wall that separated the castle from the nobility, and as Gamzee passed through this walls gate, he remembered just how thankful he was for them. Gods how he hated even breathing the same air as those people. Gamzee inhaled deeply, as if from relief, before looking up the towers of his homestead, embracing the ancient stone architecture that bore the carvings of his ancestors on its face. His eyes lingered over it's arching body and wooden frames before finally pulling away and landing on the carriage that still held a few of the slaves. His hand barely moved in order to allow the men to disband, separating and going their different ways as they joked and laughed knowing they would go to please the sins of their flesh.

Nodding towards Horrus, who made no hesitation to do as he commanded, the prince folded his arms across his chest as he awaited. Horrus quickly began unloading the seven women that where left inside the carriage, binding each of their wrists in tight ropes, then connecting those ropes to one another so that they formed a long chain. When Horrus had finished doing so, Gamzee ordered for the carriage to be taken away and broken down again before walking them toward Porrim's quarters.

Journeying towards the maiden's dwellings, Gamzee quickly pulled the women along behind him, all of them too short of energy from the weeks of not using their limbs to resist. When they reached her place, an area offset from the rest of the castle, but beautiful in its own way, Gamzee made no hesitation to walk in, not caring what she may be doing on the other side of those guarded grand tree doors.

Porrim lived in an area sanctioned by the king himself that harbored the future royal slaves and prepared them for their new life whether they were men or women. Inside the well lit room stood carven pillars that surrounded a steamy bath still bubbling with froth and blanketed with frost blossoms. Mostly women slept around the other side of these pillars on large pillows and illustrious blankets, and to the far side of the room stood a curtain of glass beads where the sound of one's ecstasy moaned softly. After handing off the rope to Horrus, Gamzee quickly made his way over there, pushing open the curtains and stepping in to let them fall behind him.

On an island of gaudy cushions Porrim was quickly running her fingers through some poor slave girl's most sensitive areas. The girls face burned a bright red as Gamzee entered, and even though he paid her no attention she quickly tried to cover her body with a nearby blanket. Porrim quickly slapped the girls hand away and began working her harder, making the small thing cry out in a mix of pain and pleasure. "You will continue to work whether your master allows the whole army to enter the room do you understand Saoirse? You now live for what he commands." Porrim then glanced up at the prince as Saoirse's body arched and writhed beneath her.

"You are home much later then we all expected. I assume you brought me new students, or perhaps you are here for a much more… intimate purpose?" The slave tamer raised a brow with a smirk on her face, only to be answered by the sound of a scoff from Gamzee's lips.

Rolling her eyes, almost as if disappointed by the Prince's reaction, Porrim removed her fingers from Saoirse's warmth and stood up, leaving the slave to curl up on her side in the denial of pleasure. Porrim's fingers went into the girl's hair, lifting her up to her feet before pushing her away and towards the beaded curtain which she quickly stumbled out of. Porrim made her way towards her water basin, washing her hands as she spoke to Gamzee over her shoulder.

"Bring them in here so I may look at them."

In a few moments, Gazmee returned with the chain of girls, lining them up for Porrim to inspect thoroughly. The slave tamer did just that. After stripping them naked, the tattooed goddess checked each of them, from their hair and teeth to their breasts and inner thighs. Meulin's face burned as Porrim finally stepped back from them all, some crying while others simply trembled. Gamzee watched Porrim make her final judgments. She was fair as snow and had tribal tattoos that ran down every inch of her perfect body, accompanied by golden piercing upon her naval, lips, ears, and nose and yet every movement she made was as delicate as a snowflake.

Suddenly breaking the silence, Porrim pointed to two of the three of the seven girls left, Meulin, Nepeta, and Irisha who had explained the purpose of the snow to Meulin. "I will take these three. The rest should be sent to the common slave market," Porrim looked to Gamzee with a frown. "There is even less this time. How many did you start out with?"

"A little less than a dozen. Ten perhaps." Gamzee stated as he picked at his nails quietly before gesturing to Nepeta, "That one will be mine," his masked eyes then landed on Meulin giving Porrim no time to voice her surprise, "And she will be a gift for my brother. They both should be ready in time for the anniversary of his birth. Make sure of it."

There was a stunned silence from both Horrus and Porrim. Normally Gamzee never allowed himself such sinful pleasures and never had he chosen to have a specific girl that he had brought home. Adjusting the black bear furs on his body, Gamzee made no further comment before walking through the beaded curtain and making his way to his own bed within the castle walls.

Author's Notes: I really hope my description of city made sense. If not please inform me so I can fix that. Question: Should I involve detailed information about what Porrim puts Nepeta and Meulin through or should I make it a simplistic summary. I feel full on lemon could fit into this kind of story but I am also rather timid to do so? I think maybe sticking to clear but simplistic description may be best? I dunno let me know what you all think please.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: So after a long personal debate I decided to not go in the direction of a full on lemon. I believe with the last chapter, Meulin's three days with Porrim are rather self explanatory. This may change later, but for now I feel simply writing it in a clear but tasteful manner is my best decision. I'm really excited for the next chapter because, Kurloz . *makes squishy face*. Thank you for your reviews everyone, and please feel free to leave more.

Lala: I actually wanted to write it as a partial lemon, but after some discussion with a couple of my fellow writers I decided not to put that in there, and if I change my mind I can always come back and fix it.

Guest: I feel that I am communicating the wrong shipping now. (=^._.^=)

Storytime-Nightwish: Oh my goodness thank you so much, my face is so red now that my friend is giving me a questioning look... haha... ha...

Kate5150: Really? Because I was worried it was too basic and easily figured out plot line! I'm glad you are enjoying it. (^..^)/

Porrim

Porrim was pleasantly surprised by the amount of natural talent for pleasure Nepeta and Irisha had exhibited. Of course, Nepeta and Meulin had become her biggest focus over the past few days, but issues had developed involving the eldest captive. While Nepeta had sadly accepted the situation that she was in for what it was, and displayed a broken hearted acceptance, Meulin had not. Twice she had tried to escape only to be seized by Gamzee's personal guard that he placed over her and her younger sister. She was stiff in her movements and immediately tried to strangle whoever dared to touch her. Porrim had done her best, but time was beginning to run short and she was no longer sure what else she could do for the huntress.

With a long sigh of irritation, Porrim pulled up the thick locks of night into her hands, and away from the trail down her spine, knotting them into a quick bun at the top of her head that allowed a few pieces to fall down and frame her lovely face. Slipping into some of the finest silks the kingdom had to offer, the concubine then stepped outside of the beaded curtain that separated her from reality. The girls, as usual for a banquet day, where preparing themselves for the night to come. Each and every one of them going through the fine silks and clothing sent to them to wear while others were stripping off their current ensembles in anxious excitement for the exotic bath being prepared in the pool before them.

Walking down the stone steps of the house, with the carven wood pillars framing the fragrant water which Porrim stood before, she gave out a sharp series of claps to gather the girls' attention and address them as a whole, "I understand that many of you are nervous about tonight while others are very excited, which I can assure is completely natural. Some of you may leave my wing this night while others I will seem tomorrow morn. I personally must say I am sad to see any of you go, and that tomorrow will be no different for those who do not leave this night," The mistress paused, and watched as the servants finished filling the bath with a frothy cream that smelled absolutely wondrous, topped off by floating pink frost lilies that slid in from every side and covered the waters completely. "Enjoy your preparations for the night ladies and please, do be on your best behavior." She commented with a smirk that earned an applauding laughter from the group.

After stepping down from the last stone step, the laughter, vapid chatter, and of course the talk of tonight's anticipated events went on, but Porrim paid it no attention. In the back of the room Meulin stood against the wall with her arms over her chest and an uncomfortable look upon her face. Nepeta and another girl that she had made friends with stood beside her, only while they chattered away, Meulin held herself close and stared at her feet. Porrim made her way over to the both of them and motioned to get Meulin's attention. As Meulin's eyes wandered up to Porrim's strikingly gorgeous face, Porrim addressed her, "You are to come with me."

Meulin's eyes held onto Porrim's for a long and daunting moment before finally she pushed herself off the wall and followed the mistress back into the comfort of her personal quarters. Behind the beaded curtain, a display of large and wonderfully embroidered pillows formed a place of resting. To the right side of the room stood a sheet of glass that served as a mirror along with a table that was adorned with many fine perfumes and intricate hair ornaments. An ivory comb, missing a few teeth here and there sat beside a basin full of a sparkling white powder that explained why Porrim's skin always seemed to sparkle in the light. To the other side of the table was tray of different makeups for one's eyes and lips. Fine scarfs and outfits littered the floor and hung in the open wardrobe beside it, displaying the awe striking colors within.

Catching Meulin's eyes wandering over the many beautiful trinkets Porrim possessed, the mistress spoke matter-of-factly, "I could never afford such things. They are gifts from different customers. Come over here."

Pulling her attention away from the objects, Meulin wandered over to where Porrim summoned her. To the far corner of the room stood a magnificent bath, one far grander than even the one that stood in the public room she had previously been in. It was not as large, but the stone carvings where far more intricate. A frothy film covered the top of the steamy waters, but what struck her with fascination the most, was the flowers that covered the top of the waters. They where flowers of her lands, exotic to this northern realm and far too tropical for such frigged conditions. They were called fire flowers, and had painted flowers of orange, red, and yellow, soft as a baby bird.

"Tonight, you will be presented to the dark Prince Kurloz as a gift for his twentieth birthday." Porrim kept her eyes on the frothy waters as she circled her fingertip in the fragrant liquid, "He is a strange man and I have only met him once, but I can tell you what little I know, and what great I have heard. I know that he is a far wiser ruler than his brother Gamzee, and would make an exceptional King, a King that would one day bring this empire to great glory. He is a dark man though, and prefers a disturbing amount of solstice. From what I have heard, he is even worse in violent behavior Gamzee. He has an odd fascination with death, and even is rumored to be a Drakall. A Drakall in their culture is a sort of demon, sent by the gods in the world's last days to bring forth unimaginable chaos. Drakalls are said to use and control mortals like puppets on strings so that they themselves are never pinned for their insufferable deeds. They are monsters that haunt children's dreams and send terror through men's souls..."

"It sounds as if though you believe these rumors Porrim…" Meulin interrupted quietly, making the mistress pause and look up at Meulin with jade colored eyes.

"I do not know what to believe Meulin, but I do know that if these things are true, then it is awfully convenient that he happened to be born into a family of such power, to be a brother to a monster such as Gamzee and a manipulative ruler such as Ishtar. I simply do not wish to see you fall into the same fate. If he tells you to do something, then do so. I would hate to see any harm come upon you," Looking back to the waters Porrim sighed, "A woman who can smell the fragrance of her homelands on her own skin tends to be far more confident than a woman who's nose is full of expensive perfumes and foreign smells. Now come before this bath becomes cold."

The evening passed on quickly. When Porrim was done bathing every inch of Meulin's olive skin until she felt raw from being scrubbed down, she made sure not a hair was in sight upon her legs or anywhere else besides the crown of her head. Porrim then cleansed her over with expensive and fragrant oils, bathing her skin to be soft as downy. Meulin was achingly still as Porrim painted over her lips and brushed fair powders over her cheeks before rummaging through her own clothing and coming to a decision.

When Porrim was done, Meulin was an exotic and tempting vision for any man. A warm olive green dress clung to her hips, waist and bosom, before cascading down her legs like a waterfall. Expensive chains of tainted gold hung upon her ears, neck, wrists, and even her ankles. Her eyes where painted like that of a jaguar and her lips looked like two soft cushions of velvet. Porrim bit her lip in decided approval, knowing that tonight meant not only Meulin's neck, but her own as well.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Notes:

Hi everyone! I know It's been awhile since I've posted anything in this story, but rest assured, I am not giving up, just super-duper busy. :/ Anyway, the long awaited Kurloz chapter has arrived. *Whispered, "Yussss..." from the many fangirls.* Welp, I have added a new feature to the chapters. Introducing... Cliff Notes! I realized halfway through writing this story, that since I don't have a way to post a map to explain where the exact location of a region is, you all have no idea of to even as so much as a general idea of where these places may be. Ergo, I am adding short descriptions at the bottom of the page to explain underlined topics throughout the story. These notes will also help to further explain a breed of animal, plant, or whatever else since I am creating not only a new story, but a new world as well.

Example: Stagbeast: A creature in similarity to a deer. They have fur like quicksilver and are atomically the same as a deer, with the exception of flat edged antlers that travel from the bridge of their nose up to about a foot tall above their head.

Please tell me if this helps you guys and if I should continue it. Also, if you have any questions about any sort of creature, place, or whatever, feel free to ask and I will be sure to add that to the notes. BTW: I listen to IAMX for when I write anything Kurloz and Meulin if you are looking for some good background music. Try Animal Impulses, Bernadette, Ghosts of Utopia, Kingdom of Welcome Addiction, or, or well anything by them.

Shout Outs:

walomadolo: Awe. Thanks. (^./.^)/

nyanMeow: I know it wasn't as soon as you probably would have liked, but nevertheless it is up and ready for you to read.

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Kurloz

His dark eyes flickered over the crowded room with an absence of emotion or feeling in any manner whatsoever. The prince had an oddly tempting aura to him, and yet, the very thought of stepping within the depth of his shadows made one tremble to the bone. He found no pleasure in anything, and yet he desired none either. Life moved on and he with it, the only thing that truly mattered was the soon approaching days of the Angel of Double Death when the heavens would rain fire and serve as the only form of light in a chaotic world of empty darkness.

The highblood's father grunted to grasp his eldest sons approval, urging Kurloz to look up from the stony floor in which he had been able to so easily slip into a lovely and morbid daydream. A young woman of sun kissed skin and honey wheat hair, stood before him, and at the sight of his eyes connecting with hers, she flushed slightly before giving a small curtsy. She was far too young for him, just at the cusp of adulthood and possibly betrothed to his brother if he accepted her proposal. Her golden colored hair and warm skin was a rather odd sight here. She had a splash of freckles across the bridge of her nose and apples of her cheeks that made one wonder just how often she ran out of her precious palace gates.

Playing his part as well as a musician keeping an easy tempo, Kurloz rose from his slouched and relaxed position of the stony throne, and returned the curtsy with a low bow of his own. Feferi, the youngest descendent of the Empress of the Coastal Regions, was here for his birthday as an ambassador and representative. She, much like himself was talented in the game of words, and unlike their siblings, each were far more calculating in their steps before their slaughters. He had grown fond of the young princess over the passing time.

She was curious beyond her own well-being, and far more sinister than those who saw her might assume. He had only been to the Coastal Regions once in his life, but he could remember the raw difference in appearance between Feferi and her eldest sister, one soft as snow and the other as ridged as a blade's kiss. She had a few other siblings as well, both bastard children of the Empress. They were allowed no claim to the throne, but it was an unspoken law that the two dark haired creatures in a land of gold held a great sum of power...

Her arm slipped through his in an automatic response, and the two made their way down the steps and amongst the many dancing figures of the gala. Feferi's fingers intertwined with his and both began to dance in a fluid and well-practiced motion as her lips hardly moved, "I see your brother is nowhere to be seen. Odd, I would not have thought him to miss the anniversary of your birth." She mentioned softly, managing a quick tug at the corner of Kurloz's lips as the game began.

"He'll be here. Most likely he will be late." Kurloz replied in a gentle voice that was rarely heard. It was like the finest silks caressing ones skin in the most hypnotizing of manners and yet, one could clearly sense the dark formality and the wicked temptation that was coated beneath.

Feferi did her best to hold back a core shaking tremble that threatened to travel down the path of her spine and into the tips of her toes. No matter how many moments she had heard him, that voice never stopped casting its hypnotic spell over her. Despite her best efforts, a small rise of goosebumps across her bare flesh gave her away. It was not as if she could hide it either. Despite the fact that she was from a much hotter climate should have been freezing in the lands of eternal winter, she had not bothered to bring anything warmer than what she had traveled in, most of the time choosing to stay inside rather than risk the frigid winter chill.

Her fuchsia dress fell in a long scoop down her back and was held together by nothing more than a set of thin golden chains that sat upon her shoulders. He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to either. Feferi could still feel the muscles along his backside straighten in just the smallest fraction whether he was bundled in midnight furs or not. She knew that small quirk of his lips was directed at her and was about to step on his toes when she quickly reminded herself just what she came here to do.

"Have you reconsidered my mother's proposal?" She asked as the current song quickly neared its end.

"I've informed you my lady, I am set in my decision. And if she wishes to make any further discussions of the topic then she should come to speak with me herself." Feferi's soft pink lips parted to argue, but the song came to its end and he speedily ended the dance, and therefore the conversation. "Ah, my brother seems to have arrived."

Kurloz nodded towards the three rectified thrones where his father still sat in the largest and center one, his chin resting on his hand as he watched and listened. Only now his youngest son was leaned over and whispering some sort of words in his ear that only the king could hear, and yet caused the smallest of reactions from the king. Kurloz quickly made his way up the steps so that he might stand beside his younger brother and await in silence for Gamzee to finish whatever he was communicating with his father and look upon him instead. When the youngest did so, Kurloz made a brash list of the new scars that had found their way onto his sibling's face, from one side to the other.

Gamzee stepped down from his father's pedestal and clapped his older brother on the back, wrapping him into his arms before gesturing for the music to stop, the crowd to cease moving, and the room to be silent. As this took place, Kurloz looked to his brother in question, before the youngest began to speak, "All hail the mirthful messiahs! May they ever show their dark favors upon us!"

The crowd of religious heretics cried out in reply, "All hail the mirthful messiahs!"

"As we all know, I have been traveling farther south in hopes of broadening our horizons. I have returned with great news, and plan to share it all with you very soon, but first, today is the anniversary of my brother's birth, and I have brought forth to him a treasure of great beauty!" Gamzee cried out with an almost maddening look upon his face. He seemed to take a moment to collect his rapid excitement and quench his thirst with a long gulp of ale from the mug a servant had placed in his right hand.

Kurloz stared at his brother in disbelief; Gamzee's breath reeked of ale, and there was nothing he could do to stop his brother's actions. The youngest son of King Ishtar's line, raised his hand and gestured towards a band of slaves at the right side of the room who stood only a few feet away from them. They quickly scattered in their own individual directions, and as they did so, the throne room's sky drapes opened and let in the scattered fragments of the cold winter light. The grand doors opened, and a set of men stood on either side of a young slave girl that Kurloz had never seen before.

Her hands where bound in silk ropes, to keep the winter chill from freezing to her olive flesh, and at the end of this rope stood Horrus, leading her along despite her futile resistance. Anyone who was close enough to Kurloz might have been able to read the slightest movement of his face. His eyes widened in surprise as he took in the appearance of this creature. She was like nothing he had ever seen before. Most of those who he had ever bothered to cast his eyes upon where pale creatures of the moon who bathed in snowflakes. Feferi, while she was darker than he, she was still born of a milky complexion, and her skin had been merely grazed with the touch of the sun's fingertips. This slave girl was far different.

She had an almost olive tinted skin. Her lips were full things, like two petals on a moonkiss, and her black flaxen hair came in fell swoops and curls that framed her heart shaped face ever so slightly. Her frantic eyes bounded around the room, and though her body projected nervousness, it was clear to Kurloz with one look into her ember eyes, that she was in fact very much in control of whatever game she was slyly playing at.

Gamzee stepped down towards her, his feet going about in a full circle around her frame as the men and women of the court made hushed and awed whispers. A drunken smile was plastered across his face, and while Kurloz hated this, he also knew that his younger brother was far easier to deal with when intoxicated. Gamzee's fingers reached out to run through the girl's midnight hair, and she quickly pulled away, savagely hissing at him. Kurloz had to hold himself together not to laugh at not only that, but the way Gamzee faltered back slightly in trying to get away from her.

His younger brother seemed shocked, but after a moment he began to laugh before gesturing towards her with his hands, "Does she not please you my brother? There are only three of her kind left, and I have been so diligent as to pick her specifically for you. I have found a way to pass through the Dead Man's Mountains, and upon doing so, ran upon her village. And if I am correct in believing so, there are a many more lands beyond hers to discover. It is unlike anything you have ever seen my dearest brother." Gamzee announced with a look of excitement that filled his face and urged those within the room to grow with animated whispers, "She is a rare and exotic beauty, wouldn't you agree?"

Kurloz wanted to cringe at the way his brother spoke the words to describe the woman as if though she where some sort of fine wine to taste or an extinct species in her cage. This was not to say that Kurloz was against slavery, he had been around it his entire life, it was a normal part of his own society and yet he felt that every one of them should still be treated as a person. Closing his eyes and letting out a long sigh, Kurloz spoke softly, in that knee trembling voice of his, "Yes Gamzee. She is quite lovely in deed." If his own eyes had been open when Kurloz had spoken, he would have noticed the way Meulin's eyes had widened as large as the moon and she stared at him with ghostly expression.

When the eldest prince did open his eyes again, they were cold and burning, only matching up to his younger brother's intoxicated gaze. Gamzee's hands flew into the air as he stepped down and grinned about the room, "Take my brother's gift to his chambers so that he might enjoy her company tonight!" the young highblood laughed before raising his hand for the band to strike up the band, and making his way back to the table where the barrels of ale stood.

Kurloz sighed and watched as his brother's mug clashed against another one of his drunken men's, and Horrus stood by his side soberly monitoring his master's actions. His head pounded as the music rushed back into his ears and the soft chatter slowly grew back up to a dull roar to play along with it. He stepped down the last few stony steps from where the thrones sat perched and looked back to his father who seemed to be far more interested in the ale in his right hand and the winch on his lap, then the dispute that was brewing between his sons. His eyes went back to the stage set before him, each puppet playing their own part, before landing on Feferi, who stood at the bottom of the steps with a concerned expression on her face.

Making not so much as a single smile in her direction, Kurloz pulled off his top coat, a blacker than midnight fur from the legendary demon beast Valkara, which he sets upon her golden speckled shoulders, knowing she was freezing whether her pride would allow her to say so or not. His fingers pulled hers to his lips so that he might kiss them in a farewell or goodbye, since this would be her last night in King's Spire, before he turned away from her and slipped away in the noise of the celebration at hand.

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Cliff Notes:

The Coastal Regions: A great expanse of the Southern Salt Waters that divides into many water cities and small islands. The Coastal Kingdom is the largest and most powerful kingdom known to their kind. Now, these lands aren't straight south. To reach them, one must sail along the coast in a southeastern direction. They are known as the Southern Salt Waters because for a very long time, Makara's people could not go straight south, because first they must go through Dead Man's Mountains, the cold pass that Gamzee dared to make and therefore discovered Meulin's people.

Moonkiss: A particular wildflower that only grows in the snow, and blooms during the full moon. It looks much like kissing lips when fully bloomed.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Notes: Awe yus, look who is updating twice in one week. This is kinda a filler chapter to be honest. I will have some more up but unlike some, I find filler chapters to be important if used correctly. This is mostly a lot of descriptive language and understanding as to what happens to Kurloz and Meulin after the gala. It is still third person, but I did kind of use both of their point of views thinking it was better for this chapter. Anyway, enjoy reading, and I should have some new chapters over Gamzee, Nepeta, and Kurloz up pretty soon. Enjoy, and thank you so much for all the reviews and encouragement. :33

Shout Outs:

walomadolo: Oh my gosh for real?! I lOVE listening to them when writing this story. I feel the genera really fits their relationship in general, but IAMX just has a way of making it absolutely surreal for me. Awe, well thank you for the review, I appreciate it. (^..^)

jollypaola: Well I am glad you like it, but I haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet so I'm rather surprised! Oh no don't hate Gamzee! (^;-;^) Um, maybe if you read my fanfic about him you might feel better? I don't hate Gamzee, he just makes a good antagonist, and you will see some controversial scenarios for him throughout the story so maybe that will help? I suppose that means I have accomplished my goal nonetheless...

writergirl17: Awe man that review really made my day, thank you! I try to be descriptive as possible but sometimes I feel like I'm not explaining things as well as I could, so it's good to know people are understanding it at all. I really appreciate the review so, thanks!

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Meulin/Kurloz

Meulin stared at the wall in a stony silence upon the prince's bed, where not even the awful chatter of the party below could reach her ears thanks to large oak door that protected her. Her fingers twined tightly together as she trembled like a leaf on a winter's breeze. Her waist ached from the tight bindings that Porrim had tugged and pulled upon her dress, and she felt light headed from the lack of oxygen passing her lips. Her head swam with blurry visions of dancing faces, and she found herself struggling not to let sleep consume her and the darkness take her. She refused though, she refused to let him have his way with her, and she would be damned if he were to find her helplessly strewn across his bed. Her head rested against the marble bed post which she sat bound to nonetheless.

Her limbs yearned to be free once again, to stretch and move like they were so used to, and as she stared at the ticking contraption in the corner of the room, she allowed herself to daydream of running through her peoples' lands once again. Her hazy eyes ran over the ticking hand that had made countless swings, back and forth, by now. It was entrancing, the way it danced from side to side so effortlessly and created a constant rhythm that lulled one to far off places and intricate dazes. The huntress allowed her lashes to flutter and brush the tops of her cheeks, all the while doing her best to not be seduced by slumber's sultry voice.

Had it not been for the smallest of creaks, the noise of the large wooden door being moved upon its ancient hinges, Meulin would have fallen into a deep sleep. Kurloz stood there at the far edge of his chambers, leaning against the entree way with a particular expression upon his face as he stared at her. His body moved away from the door and he turned to look upon it, fiddling with something her eyes could not see, until the finality of the door locking in place was enough for her to understand.

The prince paid her little heed, his mind clearly filled with enigmatic thoughts for his mind alone as he wandered about the room, placing this and that here and there. Pulling her gaze away from him, she chose to focus on the fire that warmed the room still and besides the odd ticking contraption, had been her only companion with its constant crackling. It seemed her eyes were far too fond of his shadowy figure though, because within moments his body was there as well, his slender fingers working to make sure the fire still burned slow and steady.

His head tilted slightly as his hollow eyes, much like those of his brother's, stared into the licking flames with an enchanted gaze, and Meulin found herself guilty of admiring him. He had a long and lethal frame that measured taller than his younger brother and perhaps even as grand as his king's. He had dark black curls that went this way and that despite what anyone could assume was a best attempt to foil them. His face was drastically angular and sharp as a blade, and yet, Meulin found herself enchanted with not the ways in which he was like his younger sibling, but in the ways he was not.

Any good huntress could recognize the way a fellow hunter measures and calculates the way their prey moves and thinks, and yet he did this with everyone, and so the point of his hunt alluded her in the most terrifying of ways. He was silent to the point of mute, and it seemed he noticed everything, even when he wasn't looking for it. And while Gamzee's eyes displayed a void of emotion less it be rage or blood thirst, but Kurloz showed everything and nothing all at once with the single flicker of his eyes.

Suddenly, his eyes where upon hers as if though he had heard every thought she had dared to let trespass the mazes of her mind. His dark, almost ebony eyes traveled over her face and she found herself trapped in that mesmerizing gaze, unable to move or so much as breathe. She found herself frozen in his midnight eyes, her heart pounding like drum or that of a delicate hand against the stretched skin of a tambourine. He rose from his crouched position and slowly stepped towards her, carefully measuring her own reactions with his as he made his slow steps forward.

She felt a fear she had never felt before as his eyes roamed over her softly curved body that was far gentler than her sister's lissome one. His eyes raked over her structure, as if analyzing every single swell and swoop her body happened to have. It was not that of a greedy man, but instead one of an inquisitor or a hunter. Meulin felt and awful trepidation as she sat there helplessly, her body frozen with some sort of unspeakable terror that only his eyes could communicate. She felt the desire to fall in obsequious behavior to whatever whim he desired in the pit of her stomach, pulling and urging her to be as close as possible to him before he disappeared like a shadow in the night.

This thought is what filled her with fear, and despite the fact that she had only looked upon his face twice now, she knew that in some childish part of her mind that she would fall to his simplest of commands if he asked it. Her body pulled back slightly from his slender fingers that ran along the skirts of the fine materials covering her body head to toe. His eyes merely flickered up towards hers at the sign of her futile movements, and he sat back on the bed staring at her momentarily. His lips parted as if to speak, before thinking better of himself and shaking his head.

He rose once again, leaving her alone upon the the stony berth covered in gossamer curtains that draped down in hues of blacks and purples the last human on a desert island. The prince began to unlace his boots and strip away his clothing, which only caused Meulin's frantic heart to race with uncertainty once again. Her wide eyes began to wander for some form of escape from the suddenly burning inferno that danced upon her flesh, until all he rest in was a pair of loosely fitted black cotton pants, and a crisp white shirt to match. With an almost inaudible sigh from his lips, he then turned back to her and began to untie the knots around her wrists.

"Don't bother trying to escape. If you did I would be forced to cut off that lovely head of yours personally, and that is something I wish not to do on the eve of my birth."

With a few more sharp and painful tugs at the silk bindings, her wrists fell free from the post and her arms fell to her sides in sweet relief once again. She stared at him in disbelief as he tossed the bindings down to the floor before gently pushing her forward, untying the bindings at her backside. Tears burned at the corners of her eyes as he released her from the restraints of her own clothes and air flooded her lungs once again. After doing so, he left her like that though. The silken material hung loosely on her body like a blanket of water on her skin, rubbing against her as if though it no longer existed. She waited for the moment to happen, just as Porrim had said it would, and yet the brutal grip of his hands on her limbs never came, and the crash of his body against hers never filled the room with an unbelievable noise. Instead, he turned away from her, choosing to rest upon the divan that rested beside the fireplace instead. His head hit cushion and his eyes fell shut as small and yet resonating breathes passed his lips.

Meulin sat upon his bed, staring at her wrists and rubbing the life back into them gently for a moment, all the while contemplating whether to speak or not. She questioned, why he had not come upon her, and while this was a good thing she found herself to be… offended. The huntress had planned to speak nothing, alluding him to the idea that she only spoke her own native tongue, but now she fiddled with the idea of giving up on such a thing out of her overbearing curiosity. Her lips parted, her mouth opening and then closing in multiple instances, and at some point Kurloz must have opened his eyes and caught her struggle, deciding to speak instead.

He had watched the way her lips parted momentarily before pressing back together in a thin line, and spoke as if though he had read her mind simply by reading her expressions, "I am tired and do not wish to take you. If you are asked about it you may decide what to say for yourself, but in the meantime I wish to sleep and suggest you do the same…" Kurloz waited quietly as he listened to the deafening silence before the soft rustle of her dress moving as she rested her head upon his pillows.

He laid there, staring at the ceiling with a look of a blank slate before finally turning on his side and shutting his eyes, "I know you can understand me and are choosing to act otherwise… Whenever you are ready to speak to me I will be ready to listen…" He stated softly as the fire's glowing flames began to die slowly, making the shadows envelope the room like an approaching army.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Notes: This is a small chapter, but Nepeta is a minor character and I want to only do minor chapters with those who are not the main characters. She will develop more over time but for now she is going to be pretty small on the scale of time. Feel free to leave reviews and comments. Sorry updates have been spastic, graduation is coming up and I've been all over the place.

Shout Outs:

Storytime-Nightwish: I appreciate that! Thanks you for the review.

jollypaola: I my, I want everyone to love Kurloz though! He's my precious babsy... (=^..^=);

wolf girl811: I will most likely develop that relationship, but I've been playing with it a lot, and yes, they will just be smaller updates.

nyanMeow: Thank you! (^.w.^)/

Nepeta

The same night that Meulin was given to Prince Kurloz was the same night that Nepeta found solstice in her own room. Her fingertips ran along the chiffon curtains that covered the bed in an olive tint. Her tooth pressed into the bud of her lower lip to the painful point where blood threatened to bead upon her skin. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the back wooden poster of the bed that still filled her nose with the faint sent of freshly carven wood. Her room was surrounded in fine things, all in different shades of greens that Gamzee had written was the color that faired her most.

Nepeta had done just as he had instructed. On the night that her sister was taken from her and placed before the crowds of citizens as a gift for the young prince's older brother, she had recalled each and every footstep that he had told her to memorize until she had arrived at the candle lit door of soft wood. The key fit perfectly and instead of the dank and dark room that was littered with cobwebs as before, she had walked into what felt like a vision or perhaps a dream. He had written her a letter, that now only after a few hours was crumpled and warn from the stress of her fingers pressing into it. Her eyes still lingered over the words in the letter that Horrus had read to her upon her arrival, and although she could not understand them when written in ink, she could memorize them as if the words had leaped off the page and danced in her head.

"_If you are listening to this then that means you have done as I instructed and I cannot express my pleasure with mere words written on paper. _

_I will not apologize for what have done, but it has come to my attention that I have ended the life of your lover, and for this I will support you until I no longer can. You are still a slave, but you have similar freedoms of a northern woman. In the morning you will begin your job in the kitchens, and after hours you will be allowed to do as you please. _

_A warning, do not go to find your sister. I will send Horrus to check on you daily. Sleep well." –Prince Gamzee_

Horrus had left shortly after reading the letter to her, and Nepeta had been mentally struggling within herself ever since. Staring at the crackling fire from her beside, Nepeta went over the words again and again, confused as to why he would treat her as such. Wandering over towards the hissing flames, Nepeta stared into the fire and took small measured breaths. Her fingers reached out to the licks of reds and oranges, daring to touch but never to hold. Withdrawing her hand from the mouth of the fire place, Nepeta stared at the letter once more before slipping it into the fire and watching it burn, crumble, and turn to ashes on the logs.


End file.
